◀ anchor ▶
North Korea made a law last week promulgating that it can use nuclear weapons “preemptively”.
In response, South Korean and US security authorities met and agreed to mobilize all US military assets to overwhelmingly respond to North Korea’s nuclear threat.
In particular, they agreed to cooperate with a new force capable of stopping North Korea’s launch of nuclear weapons by detecting in advance the move.
Correspondent Wang Jong-myung from Washington.
◀ Report ▶
The South Korea-U.S. consultative body was put into operation after 4 years and 8 months to deter North Korea from using nuclear weapons in advance by extending the world’s strongest military power to the Korean Peninsula.
The United States has pledged to provide South Korea with all its capabilities, not only in the military field, but also in diplomacy, intelligence, and economy, to prevent North Korea’s nuclear provocation.
[콜린 칼/미국 국방부 정책차관]
“This is a commitment to deter the expansion of all categories of U.S. defense capabilities to South Korea, including nuclear and conventional weapons and missile defense capabilities.”
If the 1st and 2nd meetings were held after North Korea’s nuclear test in the past, the 3rd meeting was held right after North Korea enacted the law that it could launch a nuclear weapon first before the 7th nuclear test.
The South Korea-US joint statement exceptionally mentions key strategic weapons of the United States, such as the F-35A, the fifth-generation fighter of the United States, the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, and the B-52 strategic bomber. emphasized to do so.
He explained that a ‘non-physical strike’ to prevent North Korea from launching a nuclear weapon would be launched as a newly agreed area of cooperation.
As North Korea has warned that it can preemptively launch nuclear weapons at its own discretion, the United States can use its space and cyber powers to detect North Korea’s nuclear launch movement in advance and stop the launch itself.
[신범철/국방 차관]
“The United States has (committed) to provide extended deterrence using all military categories, including advanced non-nuclear capabilities, such as space, cyber, and so on.”
South Korea and the US can counteract North Korea’s preemptive warning to use nuclear force by neutralizing nuclear weapons one step ahead.
As the vicious cycle continues, the tension on the Korean Peninsula will inevitably increase as North Korea responds with another card.
This is Jongmyung Wang from MBC News from Washington.
Video coverage: Park Ji-yoon (Washington) / Video editing: Min Kyung-tae
MBC News awaits your report 24 hours a day.
▷ Tel 02-784-4000
▷ Email [email protected]
▷ KakaoTalk @mbc report